Self-raising vehicle top



Jan. 1, 1929.

L. EVANS SELF RAISING VEHICLE TOP Filed March 25, 1926 INVENTOR LYNNEVANS.

lbs-

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 1, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE.

LYNN EvANs, 0F CORTLAND, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE BREWER-TITCHENER ooR-PORATION, or CORTLAND, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SELF-RAISING VEHICLE TOP.

Application filed March 23, 1926. Serial No. 96,857.

This invention relates to automobile tops and is characterized by animproved means for automatically raising a bipartite main bow. In thepresent disclosure my novel devices are shown. as applied to a toppreferably comprising a forward or outrigger hoop section and a rearsection equipt with a set of side-rail slats respectively adjoined tohoop legs-by knuckle stop joint means, the rear ends of the side-railslats being pivotally carried by support standards in overhung fashionthrough the medium of a pair of companion links, such that when the topis allowed to extend into open position both bipartite bow sections fallin substantial horizontal alignment over the trim line of the vehiclebody.

An important feature of the present invention resides in providingcertain of such or similar top frame elements with suitable rockermembers between which is mounted a resilient tensioning device initiallystretched to exert a pull therebetween, adapted to furnish motive powerfor automatically extending the pivotally connected frame-work and causeit to function as an improved self-raising top.

Embodied herein are further features of structure and organization toaccomplish the foregoing and related purposes, all of which will. be setforth in detail hereinafter.

Reference is had to the annexed one sheet drawing which is illustrativeof a specific embodim nt of my invention, like characters of referenceindicate like parts throughout the several views; and in which drawingsFig. 1. shows a sectional elevational View as seen from the interior ofa top supporting structure embodying my improvements as applied to anautomobile body, the top being here shown in its raised or extendedposition.

Fig. 2 shows the position occupied by the top elements after thestructure has been crashed into its fully collapsed position, certaintop elements being broken away to better illustrate the disposition ofparts.

Fig. 3 represents a detail of certain top parts as taken in sectionalong line 3-43 of Fig. 1.

Fig. lis a fragmental side view similar to Fig. 1 showing an enlargeddetail of the resilient element which furnishes motive power for my selfraising top.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but shows a modified actuating springand linkage. arrangement therefor for resiliently manipulat ing the top.

Fig. 6 represents still another modification showing the use of anon-metallic or rubberlike .elastic element for exerting the requiredtension for self-raising top'purposes. V

A particular type of conventional top structure will first be describedin order to more clearly illustrate how, my automatic or self-raisingfeatures may be embodied therein it being understood that the sameunderlying principles are also readily applicable to many other types oftops.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the cover fabric designated inits entiretyby the numeral 1, is appropriately stretched over said topstructure in the customary manner, and except for-the side-rails andbrace-.

standards are preferably inclined rearwardly v and upwardly in thedirection of the trans verse rear corner of the top as indicated in Fig.1, and these sockets may be bridged by a transverse crown member 20 toform a.uni-

tary rear hoop 2. The upper end portion of each such standard socket 213is shown as equipt with a suitable pivot clip 5 which in the presentdisclosure is used to mount the leg ends 66 of the Support bow 6B. Thissup port hoop preferably comprises a set of bow socket members 6A whichare attached to the respective leg ends of the bow crown 6B. In

raisedtop position, said bow sockets are pref- 5 erably inclinedupwardly and forwardly with rigger crown 8D having leg ends such as 8B.

When the top is extended the side sections of this bow are intended tolie on a level substantially parallel to that of the respectivelongitudinal trim line 31% of the body sides. Each :ioiward end of theside-rails is provided with a rule or other suitable knuckle stop jointmeans 8C adapted't'o break downwardly as indicated, and these jointsrespectively aw-y the cooperating free end of the inversely mounted howlegs 83 of the outrigger hoop.

Referring further to the novel linkage which serves pivotally support myarticulated main bow sections 8A and 88, it will be observed that therear portion of each siderail 8A is pivotally mounted upon its supportbow socket 6A which socket end is in turn pivotally attached to itsstandard 215. In ad'd' t-on to the described guide-link element for eachside-rail, there may be provided a companion brace link 10 of which oneend portion is joined to one of the side-rails 8A by the piv t 11, whilethe other end of the rearwardly and downwardly disposed link 10 isjoinedto its adjacent standard 213 by the pivot 12.

The the supportb'ow together with the link 10 act conjoin tly as aunitary .guide means to swing the former iuto either its collapsed orended position with respect to the latter. ur-th'ennore, as is shown in2, both rail e1 ls of said links 6C and 10 are made to swing upwardabout til eir TBSPGCl-lVG spaced pivots 5 and 12 4nd away from thestandard fulcr'ui-n prop l. I-l'encc when the bipartite main how 8 isfully crashed, its side-rails are brought into j-uxtaposi "on alongsidethe respective Y ards while the support how will then fall into asimilar aligned relation in the fashion indicated.

My top may further be eq-uipt with one 'or more intermediate bows, andto this end the bow socl'ze-t end 14B of the forward intermediate how14: may bridge the side-rails 8A and be mounted thereon by the o"'setpivots such as l lA. These joints are preienably placed intermediate thejoint and the support bow pivots 7 and in raised position of the top.the leg ends of said how 1% may then be in" ed in a substai' t illyparallel rel'zit'ion to that of the conil ilenientary support bow 6A.

link portion 66 of the pivoted end of ee /m3 Fig. 3 discloses in detail,the preferred lateral disposition of my linkage arrangement. It will beseen that upper end portion of the offset brace-link 10 may be mountedadjacent to the outermost face of one of the side-rail slats 8A whilethe lower end thereof may oe clip pivoted in alignment with the centerof its standard 23. The support bow socket 6A forming the guide-linkportion 6C, is similarly disposed and made to lie in a substantiallycommon vertical plane with that of itsstandard 21%, while the'support'bow leg 6A preferably secured to the outer face of the shit ironside-rail 8A as shown.

The various intermediate bows maybe interconnected with respect to theoutrigger section 88 by means of suitable link means such as shown inFig. l, where the rear link element 15 is pirotally connected to the bowsocket leg 6A at the point 15A and thence extends forwardly to the pivot15B carried by the bow socket 1413. A second or forward link strap 16similarly connects the pivot 16A with the pivot 1615, the latter beingcarried by the outrigger leg 8B and thus serves to in'ipart concordantaction to the component top elements while they are being manipulated.

Referring now to the means by which the necessary motive energy forself-raising top purposes is stored, it will beoloserved that in 1, therear link 15 may be formed into belylacrank shape to constitute anapertured dependant or primary lever arm 15C adapted to turn about thepivot 15A, also that the fol ward intermediate bow socket 143 or otherappropriate top element may likewise be equipt with an apertunedextensien constituting a cooperating lever or rocker arm member MCadapted to fulcrum about the pivot 14A and move in coordinated relationto the arm 156. Between these lever arms, a suitable resilient means maybe flo-ating ly stretched which in the case shown in Figs. 1 and st,coin niises a helical or coiled tension spring 17A having pivotal bookends that respectively cooperate with said apertures formed in thestretching members 150 and 15 0, the latter members being i irelerahlycq ipt with an intermediary swivel link 17B. "il hen the intermediatehow 14: is swung through. the full range of top movement from itsextended forward position into its fully collapsed position, this willcause the exten sion member 1 t lt} to rock through a correie-ndinglywide angular range, such that in er ier of its extreme positions theswivel link 1713 will be drawn into virtual alignment with respect tothe lengitudinal axis of said extension member and a consequence thespring 17A can in such relation merely exert a relatively smallel'l'ective lifting moment or purchase about the side rail pivot MA. Forany intermediate position however, and especially when the bow socket llB is swung into an approximately right angled relation with 7 willthereby be materially augmented. Ob-

viously the primary rocker-15C engaging the other end of the spring 17Awill likewise be carried through a considerable angular swing movementwhenever the top is collapsed,but the disposition given to the pivotedsaid arm 150 is such that the spring is allowed to work with asubstantial leverage or purchase throughout the entire range of topmovement and particularly so whenever the top is fully extended or fullycollapsed, that is to say at the very time when the extension member 146is not functioning to best advantage. Fur thermore, while passingthrough their intermediate or partially collapsed top position, thecomplementary stretching members are made to cooperate in a novel mannerin that all supplemental lifting effort afforded by the member 14C isalways added positive-wise to the effort exerted by the primarystretching member 150 and these component purchase actions are at notime allowed to oppose or partially neutralize each other.

When the top is extended, the spring element is initially tensionedbetween its stretching members to a lesser extent than applies when thetop is collapsed, as will be apparent from Figures 1 and 2. During thecollapsing operation, the required amount of motive power is storedwithin said resilient tensioning means to be subsequently utilized forselfraising top purposes. The disposition of-my two pivoted stretchingmembers is such that while the top is being crashed, these stretchingmembers are given a certain amount of separating movement in opposite orcontrary (lirections. It will be obvious that the pivot pins ofstretching members are so disposed that an unobstructed andstraight linerelation is maintained between the spring ends, all without need ofsubjecting the spring to any detrimental lateral bending eii'ects.

Hence my spring actuating device as applied to selfa'aising tops forautomatically returning such a frame structure together with its coverfabric into open extended position,affords an outstanding advantage inthat it enables the described tensioning means'to sustain asubstantially continuous or accumulative raising effort throughouttheinitial range of top opening movement. Upon reaching this position, saidsprings will already have lifted the top elements against gravity andimparted the impetus required for horizontal lv carrying said elementsinto tl1e1r fully extended position. Not only is the initial thrustrequired for self-raising top purposes considerably reduced overconventional devices of this type, but a further betterment s attainedthrough the fact that when my pr1- mary spring stretching membergradually loses its purchase effort because of decreasing springstretch, the supplemental spring 1nem ber is made to come into effectiveaction, thus supplementing any waning ofspring actuating effort andmaintaining a substantially steady 1n1t1al opening urge behind thecollapsed top members until an almost fully extended posi-' tion hasbeen reached. Thereuponthe partially released spring 17A still exerts apull upon the primary arm 15C and this lifting moment is taken up by theclosed knuckle joint 80 as disposedbetween the aligned side rails 8A and8 .7

Fig. 5 indicates a modified application of the same underlyingprinciple, except that in this instance the rear end of the actuatingspring 18A is shown attached to the stretching member 10A which is herefashioned into pendant as applied to the brace link 10,

and serves essentially the same purpose as that previously described inconnection with the alternative element 150. The spring proper is alsomodified somewhat in that a helical compression spring 18A has beensubstituted; the compression type of spring affords the advantage ofobviating any permanent set in the coil'pitch by limiting the maximumstress that can be imposed when its coils are fully closed.

Fig. 6 is similar to Flg. 5 except that 1t shows still another mode ofstoring motive power in a resilient member for self-raising In thislnstance, a non-metal-.

top purposes. lie or rubber-like elastic 19A is disclosed, which ispreferably formed. into a link shape having enlarged end bosses equiptwith apertures. These apertures may be reenforced with metallic thimblebushings 19C and 196' which inturn carry the tie links 19D and 19Drespectively, as shown.

It is further pointed out that the heroinbe'fore described self-raisingtop devices are preferably but not necessarily used in corn junctionwith an auxiliarylifting spring such 'as 20A shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Forthis purpose one of the standards 213 may be provided with an offset armsuch as 2013, which enone end of said spring 20A, while the other springend may be fixedly secured to the body by the pivot 20C or in any othersuitable manner. h i This auxiliary spring element 20A may b used toadvantage in simultaneously lifting the interconnected top standardsabout their respective props 4: while the spring 17A automaticallyseparates and throws forward the other interconnected top members withre spect to such rising standards. As a result, the top as a whole maybe rapidly and ofliciently extended without substantial aid. other thanreleasing the motive power stored in the various top raising springs. Itwill be apparent that the weight of the top parts assists in overcomingthe resistance of the springs opposing the collapsing movement, andsince my improved disposition of spring devices provides for a virtuallyuniform re- Jll istjance, the top may readily be crashed with theminimuln of exertion on part of the attendant.

Having described the details of my top structure and its self-raisingfeatures, it 18 thought the mode of operation will readily be understoodfrom the previous disclosures. As to the self-raising devices, referenceto Fig. 2 will indicate that both the actuating spring 17A and theauxiliary spring 20A assume their maximum stretched relations when thetop is collapsed, in which position the crashed top elements areintended to be retained in place by suitable means such as buckle strap22 or the like, which may be secured in place to the body pivot 20C.Upon releasing such retaining means, the top frame together with its topcovering under the urge of both said springs, will immediately be thrownupwardly and forwardly into extended position, whereupon the outriggercrown 81) maybe attached to each of the stanchions 21 and locked inplace.

It will be evident that this 01 eration may be expeditiously performedby unskilled automobile users and hence atiords a convenient means forsecuring the full benefit of collapsible one-man tops and truly makingsame function as such.

It will be observed. that by virtue of the system of strap links and 16.the top may be tolded a unit by lifting outrigger crown 8D. The effectof such lifting is to break the rule joint 8C and this in turn actuatesthe described guide links in unison with such movement,said joint 8Gbeing made to swing backwardly and downwardly toward the fulcrum iron4;. In their completely collapsed position, the top members assume thefolded relation shown in 2, when the maximum of lifting energy will bestored within both the springs 17A and A.

Although a speci tic embodiment and shape of top structure have hereinbeen described in connection with my se -raisiug top devices, I do notwish to be lir 7 .ed to any particular arrangement or form of parts,since various changes may be resorted to such as introducing zinadditional intermediate bow or by varying the en'ibodimcut of my springstretcher arms into various cquivahuit 'toi'ius other than as anextension member of some particular element of the disclosed to strumture, all without departing trom the and scope of my invention,lieretotoi'e described and more particularly pointed out the appendedclaims.

I clain i 1. In a top structure oil the l'l tf ibe for vc cle bodies orthe like adapted to be automat'ica-lly shifted between collapsed andraised positions, a pair of spaced i r l. L-

standards pivotally propped to the body and V d top, a support vtivelvpivoted to serving to support the ra bow having its legs .resp.

tl e standards, abipartite main bow comprising an outrigger hoop andcomplementary side rails respectively pivoted to a medial por tion ofthe support bow legs, apair of brace links respectively pivoted to theside railsand to the standards, an intermediate bow pivotally mountedacross said rails, a lever tulcrumed between its ends upon one of saidsupport bow legs'and of which lever one end portion is pivotallyadjoincd to the intermediate bow, and resilient means extending betweenthe last name-d bow and the other end portion of said lever, said meansbeing placed under tension when the top is tolded tor automaticallyextending the top with respect to said standards.

2. In a top structure of the self-raising type for vehicle bodies or thelike adapted to be automatically shifted between collapsed and raisedpositions,a pair of spaced standards pivotally propped to the body andserving to support the raised top, a support'bow having its legsrespectively pivoted to the standards, a bipartite main bow comprisingan outrigger hoop and complementary side rails respectively pivoted to amedial portion of the support bow legs, an intermediate bow having itslegs respectively pivoted to said rails and of which one such leg isextended beyond its pivotal mounting, a. lever fulcrumed between itsends upon one of the support bow legs and of which lever one end portionis pivotally adjoined to said intermediate bow member, spring meansfioatingly stretched between said extended port-ion of the intermediatebow and the other end of said lever, and swivel link means interposedbetween one end oi said spring and its cooperating stretchin g member.

3. In a top structure of the selt-raisingtype for vehicle bodies or thelike adapted to be automatically shifted between collapsed and raisedpositions, a pair of spaced standards pivotally propped to the body andserving to support the raised top, a supportbmv having its legsrespectively pivoted to the standards, a bipartite main bow comprisingan outrigger hoop and complementary side rails respectively pivoted to amedial portion of the support-bow legs. an intermediate bow. having itrespectively pivoted to said rails,-a lever talc-ruined between its endsupon one of the support bow legs and of which lever one end portion ispivotally adjoined to the intermediate bow, and coiled spring means tloa.hgly disposed between the last named bow and the other end portion ofsaid lever, the coils of said spring means {being maintained in asubstantially rectilinear stretched relation whi'le the top beingfolded.

l. in a top structure of the self-raising type for vehicle bodies or thelike adapt-ed to be automatically shifted between collapsed and raisedpositions, a pair of spaced standards pivotally propped to the body andserving to support the raised top, a support bow having its legsrespectively pivoted to the standards, a bipartite main bow compris ingan outrigger hoop and complementary side rails'respectively pivoted to amedial portion of the support legs, an intermediate bow having legsrespectively pivoted tosaid rails, a lever fulcrumed between its endsupon one of the support bow legs and of which lever one end portion ispivotally adjoined to the intermediate bow, resilient means stretchedbetween said the last named bow and the other end portion of said lever,and a cooperating auxiliary spring means engaging one of said standardsto exert a lifting tension thereon about its prop, said auxiliary springand the aforesaid resilient means serving by combined effort to raiseand extend the top as a whole.

5. In a top structure of the self-raising type for vehicle bodies or thelike adapted to be automatically shifted between collapsed and raisedpositions, a pair of spaced standards pivotally propped to the body andserving to support the raised top, a support bow having its legsrespectively pivoted to the standards, a bipartite main bow comprisingan outrigger hoop and complementary side rails respectively pivoted to amedial portion of the support bow legs, an intermediate bow having legsrespectively pivoted to said rails and of which one such leg is extendedbeyond its pivotal mounting to form an extension, a lever fulcrumedbetween its ends upon one of the support bow legs and of which lever oneend portion is pivotally adj oined to said intermediate bow while theother lever end is disposed in offset alignment relative to said onelever end, and resilient means floatingly stretched between said offsetlever end and the intermediate bow extension, said means being adaptedto exert an accumulative topraising effort with respect to both saidoffset lever end and the aforesaid extension.

6. In a top structure of the self-raising type for vehicle bodies or thelike adapted to be auton'iatically shifted between collapsed and raisedpositions, a pair of spaced standards pivot-ally propped to the body andserving to support the raised top, a support bow having its legsrespectively pivoted to the standards, a bipartite main bow comprisingan outrigger hoop and complementary side rails respectively pivoted to amedial portion of the support bow legs, an intermediate bow having itslegs respectively pivoted to said rails and of which one such leg isprovided With an extension adapted to swing through a relatively wideangular range when the top is shifted between extreme positions, a leverfulcrumed between its ends upon one of the support bow legs and of whichlever one end.

portion is pivotally adjoined to said intermediate bow while the otherlever end is disposed in offset alignment relative to said one ever endand adapted in all its positions to afford an effective top liftingpurchase,and

resilient means floatingly stretched in maintamedrectilinear relatlonbetween said offset lever end' and the intermediate bow exserving tosupport the raised top, a support bow having its legs respectivelypivoted to the standards, a bipartite main bow C0111? prising anoutrigger hoop and complementary side rails respectively pivoted to saidrails and of which one such leg is provided with an extension adapted toswing through a relatively wide angular range when the top is shiftedbet-ween extreme positions, a lever fulcrumed between its ends upon oneof the support bow legs and of which one end portion is pivotallyadjoined to said intermediate bow while the other lever end is disposedin offset alignment relative to said one lever end, and resilient meansfloatingly mounted in maintained rectilinear relation between saidoffset lever end and said bow extension, said means being adapted toapproach virtual alignment relative to the longitudinal axis of saidextension member whenever the latter is shifted into either of itsextreme shifted positions and to assume an approximately perpendicularrelation with respect to both the extension and said offset lever endwhen the last named members are shifted into their respectivelymidpositions.

8. In a top structure of the self-raising type for vehicle bodies or thelike adapted to be automatically shifted between collapsed and raisedpositions, a pair of spaced standards pivotally propped to the body andserving to support the raised top, a support bow having its legsrespectively pivoted to the standards, a bipartite main bow comprisingan outrigger hoop and complementary side rails respectively pivoted to amedial portion of the support bow legs, an intermediate bow having itslegs respectively pivoted to said rails and of which one such leg isprovided with an extension adapted to swing through an angle when thetop is shifted between extreme positions, a lever fulcrumed between itsends upon one of the support bow legs and of which lever one end portionis pivotally adj oined to said intermediate bow while the other leverend is disposed in offset alignment relative to said one lever end andadapted in all of its positions to af fordeffeet-ive 00p lifitingpurchase, and when the latter isshifted into an informefloating'resilient means sfinetched: between diate position and which last namedurge said OfiSBbl'Q-VBI} end and said bow extension, acts accumulativelyin support of sai d'eon- 10 said means'being disposed to maintain a:eonsinuous urge.

5 tinuous top nwising' urge upon said otzher In testimony whereof, Ihaveherewitlr set lever end and to simultaneously exert a supmy hand this22nd day of Maren, 1926; plement akry urge upon said bow extension LYNNEVANS.

